Hmm. So when a guy refers to his wife or girlfriend as “the wife” or “the girl”, it’s a “fucking disrespectful” refusal “to treat that person with the smallest modicum of respect and humanity”.
But when a woman refers to her boyfriend as “the boy”, it indicates that she’s “completely head-over-heels dependent” on him and “terrified that if she doesn’t get married by age 30, she’ll die old and fat and alone”.
Well, that’s, um, interesting.
I think my former practice of not giving this issue a second’s thought was the sensible way to go.
I always thought it was supposed to be said with irony. Like, “Hey guys, I’d love to go to the hockey with you, but ‘the wife’ doesn’t like me going out on weekend boozefests these days.” said more with a nudge and a wink.
It’s a way of saying “sorry guys, I’ve got other responsibilities this weekend… namely the woman of my dreams”. It’s like feigining the whole “Oh noes, can’t go out! The ‘ball and chain’ is keeping me in tonight!”
[QUOTE=silenus]
Well, “the wife” just read this. From now on I have to refer to her in all threads as “The Center of My Existance and the Person Without Whom My Life Would Be Meaningless.”
[/QUOTE]
“Fuck puppet,” for short.
I don’t think “the OP” makes a good rant here. I am sure that the people who use “the wife” don’t find it objectionable (and most likely, neither do their the-wives). So there is no real disrespect intended or felt by the relevant parties.
Well I’m not sure I’m ready to give up saying "the wife " because you feel it’s disrespectful. Maybe it’s a generational thing or I have no class. When I say “The Wife” I say it like they do in that flick, …Highlander. “There can be only one” You know what I’m saying ? Maybe when you say it it’s more like “Hide the wife and grease the cats ass, John Q is on the way!” Or maybe not. Who the heck knows with you young whippersnappers. Oh, and by the way, Get the heck off my rocks!(we don’t have lawns in Vegas) Well Steve Wynn does. Rich pot licker.
[QUOTE=silenus]
Well, “the wife” just read this. From now on I have to refer to her in all threads as “The Center of My Existance and the Person Without Whom My Life Would Be Meaningless.”
Thanks.
[/QUOTE]
You dumbass. You let your wife get by the computer ? (Shhhhhh she’s coming!! sign off! sign off!
Sorry, no cite, it was something I read a long LONG time ago, dunno where, but: The theory offered on “the/my wife” usage was that it reflected socioeconomic class, I think as applied to the British. Whatever the heck it was I dimly recall reading alleged that “the wife” was a lower/working class idiom and that the upper crust used “my wife”.
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy]
Sorry, no cite, it was something I read a long LONG time ago, dunno where, but: The theory offered on “the/my wife” usage was that it reflected socioeconomic class, I think as applied to the British. Whatever the heck it was I dimly recall reading alleged that “the wife” was a lower/working class idiom and that the upper crust used “my wife”.
Now, wasn’t that all helpful and stuff?
[/QUOTE]
I believe the correct working class term in Britain is “trouble and strife.”
Well my wife agrees with the OP - and luckily, so do I. I’ve never heard anyone say “the girl” or “the boy” but we got married long before this nonsense started.
[QUOTE=Mangetout]
I’ve had people object to the use of ‘my wife’, telling me that it’s a possessive term and she isn’t to be regarded as chattel. You just can’t win.
[/QUOTE]
Well, duh. The preferred term is “a wife, to whom I happen to be married.” Check back frequently, though, because the word “wife” itself may soon be considered unacceptably sexist.
I don’t say “the wife” myself, but not out of sensitivity; I just think it sounds stupid, like “my better half” or “the ol’ ball and chain.” I may use it, though, if I ever find myself wishing to subtly make clear that I am not a polygamist.
I could see “the wife” or “the husband,” but the boy and the girl sounds like someone who fetches you coffee. Small hijack: never ask the wife to “fetch” anything. Not even nicely.
